Hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, and electric vehicles may be supplied with a high-voltage power supply such as, for example, a rechargeable battery pack. In order to protect against unintended access to a high-voltage (“HV”) component (e.g., an AC motor, a power inverter, or the rechargeable battery pack), a high-voltage interlock loop (“HVIL”) switch or circuit may be provided. An HVIL switch may be energized by relatively low-voltage power, and is provided to generally protect against unintentional access to the HV component. Specifically, if the HVIL switch experiences any change in electrical characteristics indicating potential access to the HV component (e.g., an open circuit condition), then the HV power supply is disconnected from the HV component.
The HVIL switch may include electromechanical contacts that are used to indicate potential access to the HV component (e.g., pins or mechanical microswitches) located within a housing. In order to gain access to the HV component during service, the housing will need to be opened. Opening the housing may make the electromechanical contacts susceptible to dirt, corrosion, or pollutants. Moreover, the electromechanical contacts may also be susceptible to tampering. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an HVIL switch that has increased durability and reliability, and also has an increased resistance to tampering.